Pipe wrench



Julie 3, 1 930. 5 SQRENSEN 1,761,280

PIPE WRENCH Filed Jan. 25, 1928 Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED .STATES SAM SORENSEN, or HOUSTON, TEXAS PIPE WRENCH Application filed January 23, 1928. Serial No. 248,714.

My invention relates to wrenches which are particularly adapted for use on pipes. They may be employed 011 pipe line work in ditches orupon the drilling rig for uncoupling tool joints and the like, and are adapted generally for work in coupling and uncoupling sections of pipe.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pipe wrench which may be easily connected to the pipe and again disconnected therefrom and which will maintain a rigid hold upon the pipe in use.

Another object is to devise a wrench which may be engaged or disengaged with respect to the pipe by exerting a push or pull upon the handle in a direction substantially radially of the pipe; and also to maintain the jaws in aposition to pass about the pipe.

It is also desired that the wrench be capable of sliding upon the pipe when the handle is moved in one direction and engaging with the pipe on the opposite movement of the handle so that the usual ratchet or pump ing action of the handle may be employed in unscrewing the couplings.

The particular novelty of my invention resides in the simple and strong construct on employed and the powerful clamping action which is obtained in the securing of the wrench to the pipe.

Referring to the drawing herewith, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the wrench in position engaged upon a pipe, the end of the handle being broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shown as in position to engage the pipe as in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the construction, one of the side plates being removed for greater clearness, the jaws being shown in position I en a in the i e.

T e mp loy a h slndle 1 in the construction of my device which maybe of the desired length and thickness. The forward end of the handle is formed with a head 2. An opening is formed in this forward endto receive a pivot pin 3, said pin being slightly to one side of the axial center of the handle. On the side adjacent the pin 3, the head is formed with a laterally extending nose or cam member 4 which is rounded to engage with the jaw adjacent thereto. On the side opposite the cam 4 is a second cam member 5 which is adapted to engage with the other jaw adjacent thereto. As will be noted, these two cam members extend inopposite directions and are shaped toengagej each withthe adjacent jaw. There are two opposite jaws 6 and 7 Thesejaws are mounted upon a plate 8 which is secured pivotally to the handle by means of the pin 3. As will bescen from'Fig; 2, there are two opposite plates 8 and 8, one on each side of the handle, the plates being thus spaced apart to receive the jaws 6 and 7 between them. The plates 8 are wider at-their outer or upper ends and have pivot pins 9 and 10 therethrough'upon which the jaws are, pivoted, these pins being spaced toward the upper end and at the sides thereof. The plate 8 has formed thereon a lug 11 which extends inwardly from the plate 'to a point adjacent the opposite plate, said lug being of keystone shape and is adapted to act as a stop member for the jaws, as will be-later described. l i g i The jaw 6 has its forward end adapted to engage with a pipe shown at 12. The pipe engaging surface 13 of the jaw has a plurality of teeth thereon, one tooth 14 being preferably formed adjacent the for ward end' of the jaw. Beyond this tooth the jaw is beveled away at 15 so that it may be forced against a pipe and spread by the action of the pipe against the beveled surface 15 of the jaws. The outer side of the jaw is rounded and. the inner end of the jaw has a finger 16 against which the cam 4 of the jaw may hear. The finger has a concaved surface 17 to co-operate with the cam-40f the; handle so that when the handle is moved the cam-member will force the finger'16 outwardly, thus throwing the pipe engaging portion of the jaw 6 inwardly into clamping engagement with the pipe.

The opposite jaw 7 is of similar construction to that of the jaw 6, except that the lower finger 16 has an outwardly rounded surface 18 to co-operate with the cam 5 upon the'j aw so as to obtain the desired clamping effect of the jaw upon the pipe; 7 1'00 Each of the jaws is prevented from moving inwardly beyond a certain position by means of the lug 11 upon the side plate. This is accomplished by forming a shoulder at 20 upon each of the jaws at their inner ends adjacent the pipe, said shoulders being adapted to come in contact with the stop lug 11 when the aws have moved inwardly beyond a certain predetermined position.

The handle 1 is held in a position normally closing the aws upon the pipe by means of a spring 21. This spring is wound about a sleeve 22 upon the pin 3 and has one arm 23 fitting within a groove in the handle. The oppositely extending end of the spring 24 is likewise fitted within a recess 25 in the plate 8, as will be noted from Fig. 2. The springhas the effect of holding the jaws in closed position with the shoulders 20 upon the jaws in contact with the lug 11.

\Vhen the wrench is to be engaged with the pipe this may be done by a forward thrust of the wrench against the pipe. As the beveled surfaces 15 upon the jaws contact with the pipe the handle may be moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to allow the fingers 16 and 16 to move together and allow the forward ends of the jaws to slide over and engage the pipe. When this has been done the handle 1 may be moved to the left of the position shown in Fig. 1, and the action produced by this movement will be to force the cam 4 against the finger 16 upon the jaw 6 and the cam 5 will bear against the curved surface 18 upon the finger 16, thus forcing the jaws firmly against the pipe. A continued movement of the handle in that direction will act to exert a torsional strain upon the pipe or coupling, tending to turn the same, as desired. When it is desired, the handle may be. worked back and forth; a movement to the right of the position shown in Fig. 1, allowing the Wrench to slip upon the pipe to a new gripping position, and a movement in the opposite direction will again grip the jaws upon the pipe so as to turn the same. When the wrench is to be released from the pipe, a qulck movement of the handle in the righthand direction will release the jaws so that the wrench may be removed by a pull direct- 1y away from the pipe.

As will be obvious, this wrench will have a powerful gripping action upon the pipe which will not slip. The device is also particularly easy to engage about the pi e without manipulation and easily therea ter disengaged when the pipe is to be released.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new is:

1. A pipe wrench comprising a handle, plates pivotally supported thereon, pipe-engaging jaws pivoted upon said plates in opposed relation, means to hold said aws normally closed, the forward ends of said jaws being rounded to be forced apart by a pipe, means to limit the closing movement of said jaws, cam-engaging arms on said jaws and cam members on said handle positioned to engage said arms and force said jaws together.

2. A pipe wrench comprising a handle, plates pivotally supported thereon, pipe-engaging jaws pivoted upon said plates in op- SAM SORENSEN. 

